The Craftsmanship of Fashion with Christine Morrison
Recently, our founder April had the opportunity to contribute to a book of essays by renowned journalist Christine Morrison. In celebration of the project, the two friends sat down to discuss their shared love for authenticity and the way we craft our own identities.
When I am asked what makes Vintner’s Daughter so unique, I rarely begin by talking about skincare. Instead, I explain my passion for craftsmanship in all its many forms: the obsessive, meticulous attention to detail that goes into creating a fine bottle of wine, or an elegantly tailored piece of clothing. I talk about my life-long search for these most expertly made, beautifully crafted pieces in all areas of my life, things that carry the weight of time, care, and true quality. I know our discerning community is made up of people who are as passionate about this search as I am.
Christine is one of those people who has perfected the search into an art form. A brilliant journalist and editor, she writes not only about the craftsmanship of fashion, but about how the beautiful things we love become an expression of who we are and the lives we hope to lead. I have been lucky enough to be her friend for many years now, and when she reached out to ask me to write an essay for her book Clothes Minded: Fashionable Essays About Finding Yourself, I jumped at the chance. Here, I asked her to share some of the insights behind her latest work and our shared values. I hope you enjoy her thoughtful perspective as much as I do.
— April
APRIL: Christine, thank you for taking the time to talk. I am so excited for other people to be able to read this book. Would you mind telling us, in your own words, what inspired you to take on this project?
CHRISTINE: At an early age, I realized what I wore shaped not only how others saw me, but who I was and who I was striving to become. Fashion was always fun—I lived for The Preppy Handbook and fashion magazines—but as I grew up, it became a language: a way to explore identity, signal ambition and even feel protected.
Some of these essays were written well over a decade ago, but it took time and the perspective of aging, to understand fully how clothes helped me discover my true self—which is the essence of the book. Clothes Minded: Fashionable Essays About Finding Yourself traces my journey through love, loss, marriage, motherhood and reinvention through the lens of fashion. Whether you’re figuring out your style or curious about how clothes tell your story, these often-vulnerable essays offer an honest look at the layers we wear and the people we keep discovering underneath.
I hope readers enjoy the fashion nostalgia of the ’90s and early 2000s, but more importantly, I hope they take away the influence fashion has as they age, explore their identity and embrace change.
APRIL: I was thrilled to be a part of this book. I have always felt like we share a similar point of view in a lot of ways, but I wonder if you could explain why you wanted me to contribute to this project.
CHRISTINE: Your writing appears in the epilogue, Famous Last Words, which shares style insights from fashion and beauty trailblazers. I wanted to include your voice because you represent an invaluable authenticity and connect beauty to our greater good. I especially admire your perspective on aging—you embrace it fully and honestly, without leaning on traditional beauty industry vernacular or expectations.
I have always felt a connection to you, despite only knowing each other from afar, as we both create from a place of emotional honesty and self-awareness. We seem to share the view that small, intentional choices—from our skincare to our clothing—quietly shape our lives. While we value high standards, our greater focus seems to be on supporting others rather than chasing unattainable perfection.
As a Vintner’s Daughter loyalist, I can definitively say there’s a mutual respect for depth over trends, ritual over rush and creative work that makes people feel grounded and seen. Rather than seeing style and beauty as striving for perfection, it feels like we both value them as ways to lean into curiosity, embrace change and nurture possibilities.
Christine Morrison’s book, Clothes Minded: Fashionable Essays About Finding Yourself, is available to purchase now on Amazon and Bookshop.org.
